Women Coalition for County Development (WCCD) and Center for Media Studies and Peace-building (CEMESP) have called on Liberian Legislature to take critical actions aimed at reducing poverty among women and girls in the country.
The group who made their position known while presenting a petition to the Legislature, said, when implemented the action will benefit all Liberian women from the 15 Sub-political divisions.
“We are seeking, through your good offices, commitment from the 54th Legislature to take concrete steps to reduce poverty among Liberian women and girls and their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse by setting gender-sensitive targets in development programs funded through County Social Development Funds (CSDF) and by ensuring that women have a voice and representation at all levels of developmental decision making within the financial sector,” said Co-chair of WCCD, Roseline Cassell.
According to her, a survey by Liberia Women Media Action Committee (LIWOMAC) revealed that only 32 out of 381, or 8% of respondents confirmed that they knew about the County Social Development Funds (CSDF).
Out of the 32 respondents who confirmed that they knew about the CSDF, only six indicated that the CSDF was having an impact in their communities.
“The baseline report also showed that the structure of CSDF governance and the process for selecting delegates to county council meetings impedes women’s participation and minimizes opportunities for gender equity,” she said.
She explained that the County and Social Development Fund standalone bill passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate for a vote includes a 25 percent gender quota in favour of women.
“We want the 54th Legislature to review the bill thereby increasing the seats for women to 30 percent minimum quota in parallel to the Liberian new elections law which promotes women’s political participation and ensure resources are allocated for its implementation across the country,” she said.
“Funding for development programs under the CSDF must include allocations for women to provide financial aid for women to engage in small businesses, as a way to respond to the economic challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“To insure that of the three members that constitute the CSDF Project Management Committee (PMC), include at least one female in each county,” Madam Cassell added.
Chair, Committee on Gender Representative, Rosana Schaack, who received the petition, promised to act on the submission.
“As you know, there is a unit at the Ministry of Finance called Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting and they have done a survey to see how the budget -both the County Development and the Social benefit women,” Representative Schaack added.
